Apparatus for shrinking fabrics



Oct. l5, 1946. F. czH/lvrFlELDv APPARATUS FOR SHRINKING FABRICS Filed Aug. 28, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 0er. 15, 1946. F. 'CHATFIELD 2,409,543

APPARATUS FOR SHRINKING FABRICS Filed Aug. 28, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 AvvozNEs/s Patented Oct. 15, 1946 APPARATUS FOR SHRINKING FABRICS Franklin Chateld, Minneapolis, Minn., assigner to Munsingwear, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.,` a

corporation of Delaware Application August 2s, 1944, serial No. 551,576

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for shrinking fabrics after they havebeen through the usual processing, following the construction or knitting of the fabric.

In the manufacture of textile fabrics, after the threads or yarns have been knitted or woven or otherwise made into a'fabric, the resultant fabric is usually processed before it is made into garments. Such processing may include bleaching, dyeing, frequent washing and drying, and other Well known operations, during which time the fabric is usually maintained under tension. The tension thus applied to the fabric elongates the fibers of the threads or yarns beyond their normal condition. Unless the fibers of the yarns or threads are restored to their normal relaxed or free condition in the finished fabric, the garments made from the fabric are very likely to shrink from washing operations. To avoid such subsequent shrinkage of the fabric the fabric is usually put through a pre-shrinking process designed to restore the threads or yarns, so far as possible, to their normal relaxed condition in the finished fabric,

y Various forms of apparatus has heretofore been `utilized to restore the fabric to its normal free condition, whereby the garments made therefrom will not be likely to shrink when washed, but in most such apparatus the fabric is usually conveyed along its path of travel by a pulling action, and in some instances the fabric is simultaneously, as it moves forwardly, alternately laterally expanded and contracted. Such action on the fabric in an attempt to pre-shrink it has not proven entirely satisfactory, because in many cases it does not completely restore the threads or yarns of the fabric to their normal relaxed condition and, as a result, garments made from such fabrics may shrink when the garments are washed.

The novel apparatus hereiny disclosed is the result of considerable development and experimental work in an attempt to provide an apparatus for pre-shrinking fabrics, whereby substantially al1 of the fibers of the threads or yarns of the fabric are restored to their normal relaxed condition in a simple and efcient manner, and without exerting a pulling or pushing action on the fabric. By thus conveying or feeding the fabric along its path of travel without a pushing or pulling action, the fabrics of the various threads or yarns of the fabric quickly return to their normal relaxedl and free condition, Whereby when the fabric-is made into garments, the

Claims. (Cl. 26-18.5)

garments may readily be washed or laundered without any danger of shrinking.

An important feature of the present invention therefore is to provide an improved apparatus for pre-shrinking fabrics, comprising means for conveying the fabric along its path of travel without exerting a pushing or pulling action thereon, the fabric being so manipulated as it travels through the apparatus that a plurality of small folds or Wrinkles are periodically formed in the fabric traversely thereof, which wrinkles are then removed by gently straightening the fabric in the direction of its travel without in any way stretching `or tensioning the fabrics, and whereby the fabric is continually alternately transversely wrinkled and de-wrinkled as a result of such periodic transverse folding or wrinkling of the fabric and subsequently straightening it, which permits the fibers of the threads and yarns of the fabric to freely return to their original free relaxed condition, as the material passes through the novel apparatus herein disclosed.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus of very simple and inexpensive construction, comprising a heated chamber having a plurality of tiers `of conveying means arranged therein each of which comprises a plurality of spaced rotary conveyer elements adapted to receive and convey the fabric along each l tier, and certain of said conveying elements operating at a relatively higher peripheral speed than adjacent elements, whereby a plurality of closely spaced transverse wrinkles or folds are formed inthe fabric each time the fabric is discharged from said higher speed elements onto the conveyer elements, having a relatively slower peripheral speed, and whereby the fabric is continually alternately wrinkled and de-wrinkled, as it passes through the machine, without exerting a pushing or pullingaction thereon, which permits the bersof the threads or yarns to readily freely return to their original or natural free and relaxed condition, whereby shrinkage in the resultant fabric is reduced to the utmost minimum.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the class describedcomprising means for alternately transversely wrinkling and de-wrinkling the fabric as it travels through the machine, and periodically inverting the fabric whereby the web or strip of fabric being fed throughthe machine is uniformally treated on all sides.

Other objects of the invention reside in the nove1 construction of the apparatus, which come. prises a steam chamber having a plurality of 3 tiers of conveying surfaces therein which cooperate to conv-ey the fabric in a back-and-forth manner through the chamber from one tier to the next, preferably in a downward direction, and whereby the material is frequently inverted as it travels through the chamber, and at the same time the fabric is subjected to alternate wrinkling and d-e-wrinkling operations without exerting a pushing or pulling action on the fabric, whereby the fibers of the various threads or yarns constituting the fabric may freely return .to their original relaxed condition inwvhichV they were before being knit into the fabric, and Whereb-y the nnished or completed fabric, or' thegar'- ments made therefrom, aren'ot likely to shrink when the fabric or garments are subsequently washed; in the arrangement-of the spaced-disks which constitute the various conveying means in the steam chamber, and in the manner of operating said disks whereby the peripheral speed of certain of Said disks may be varied to control the wrinkling and de=wrinkling` actions of the disks upon the fabric; andinv the provision of such an apparatus which is extremely eicient and practical in operation; and'which may also be utilized as a dryer, in which case all of the conveyer disks of the various tiers of fabric conveying surface may be operated in a manner to cause less Wrinkling and de-wrinkling of the fabric or toeliminate entirely Wrinkling and dewrinkling of the fabric, as the fabric travels through the heated chamber.

ther objects ofthe invention will appear from the following description and the-accompanying drawings andwill be pointed out in the annexed claims. In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed av structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to beunderstood that the inventionl is not confined to the exact features shown, as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

vIn the drawings-z Figure l is a vertical sectional view through the apparatus shcwing'the'general arrangement ofthe conveying means therein; Figure 2 is an end View of Figure 1 showing the' drives for the various tiers of disks;

Figure 3 is a sectional planL view substantially on the line 3--3V of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional View on the line of Figurev 1;

' Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional View showing the manner of delivering the Web or fabric onto the conveyer disks from the delivery conveyer; and

Figure G is a view showing one of the disk units removed from the apparatus.

In the selected embodiment' of the invention herein disclosed there is illustrated in Figure vl, for purposes of disclosure, a heated chamber 2 defined by upright walls 3, d, 5 andV ii', a top wall i and bottom wall 8. The four upright `walls' and the top wall i are provided with inner steam jackets 9 having suitable steam coils Il therein, as indicated in Figures 1 and 5, which are connected to a suitable supply of steam, not shown. The outer walls 3 to 3', inclusive, are constructed of a suitable non-conductive material whereby the temperature in the chamber may readily be retained atthe desired figure. l

A suitabledelivery conveyer I2 is arranged to convey the material to be treated into the upper right hand corner of the chamber 2 chute i3 as shown in Figure 1.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the means provided within the chamber 2 for conveying the material therethrough in a free and relaxed condition and without in any way exerting a pulling or pushing action thereon, whereby the threads constituting the fabric may, as the fabric travels through the chamber, return to their normal relaxed condition, or substantially to the condition in which they were before being knitted into the fabric.

The means provided for thus permitting fibers to^readilyreturn to their normal relaxed condition as the fabric is conveyed through the chamber 2', is shown comprising a plurality of tiers of. conveying elements, and each tier is composed of a plurality of closely arranged rows of disks ld and' i5. The disks le are relatively smaller than the disks I5, and are arranged in groups A, B, C. and D, which groups are separatedr by the disks l5, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 5. The peripheries of the disksV M andv I5 are slightly notched or serrated, as indicated in Figure 5, to minimize slippage ofy the web on the peripheries thereof. In the drawings I have shown each group of disks as comprising three rows of disks, but it is to be understood that the number of rows of disks in each group may be variedwithout departing from the scope of the invention.

The disks of adjacent rows are arranged in over-lapping relation, as best illustrated inV Figures 1, 3 and 5, whereby the disks of each tier of such disks cooperate to provide a continuous conveying surface extending substantially from one end of the chamber 2 to the other. may be supported within the chamber as indicated in Figure 4, and to facilitate assembling, the disks, of each row ofr disks, are preferably secured together as a unit, as shown in Figure 6. This may readily beaccomplished by suitably securing the disks of each row to a tubular member I6, the over-all length of which is such that it may readily be fitted between the steam jackets 9 of the side walls 5 and 6 of the chamber 2, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The disk M isshown secured to suitable shafts I which extend transversely through the chamber 2-and suitable openings provided in the steam jackets 9 and have their end portions extending through suitable bearings indicated at I3 and I9 in Figure- 4.

As all of the shafts Il and their supporting means are substantially identical in construction, but one will be described in detail.

To facilitate mountingthe shafts and disk units in the chamber 2, suitable spacing sleeves 20 and 2| are shown fitted onto the opposed ends of the shafts and are received in the bearings I8 and |9, respectively. Each sleeve abuttingly engages one end of the tubular member I5. A bevel gear 23 is shown secured to one end of the shaft and a suitable washer 24 may be interposed between the hub'of the gear 23 and the adjacent end of the sleeve 20 adapted to engage the outer end of the bearing I8 and prevent axial movement of the shaft assembly in one direction. A similar washer 25 is provided onthe opposite end ofthe shaft'll and engages the adjacent end of the sleeve 2|. A nut 25 is received in threaded engagement with the end of the shaft and serves to fixedly secure together as a unit, the shaft I1, disk-supporting member i6, sleeves 20 and 2|, and the Washers 24 and 25, as will readily be through a The disksunderstood by reference lto Figure 4. The washers 24 and 25 prevent endwise movement of the shaft I'I.

The above described shaft-supporting means is merely illustrative, as obviously other means may be provided for removably supporting each shaft Il and the disk assembly carried thereon.

Each row of relatively larger disks I are shown secured to a similar tubular member I6 mounted on a shaft 28 similar to the shaft I'I. The shafts 28 are shown mounted in opposed relation to the shafts I'I, as illustrated in Figure 4, for reasons subsequently to be described.

Another important feature of the invention resides in arranging the disks in a plurality of tiers of conveying disks within the chamber, or, one.

over another, which is so operated astc convey the web back-and-forth through the chamber from the upper right hand corner thereof, when viewed as shown in Figure 1, to a suitable discharge conveyer 29 which conveys the processed or pre-shrunk fabric from the chamber 2 to a suitable receiving means, not shown. By thus passingtheweb from one tier to another in a downward direction, as the fabric travels through the chamber, the web of fabric is periodically inverted, as will readily be understood by reference to figure 1.

To assist the material to shrink to its normal condition when passing through the chamber a plurality of steam pipes 30 are preferably provided over each tier of disks. Each pipe 3l] has a plurality of discharge orifices in its lower wall adapted to direct hot steam against the fabric as it is conveyed back-and-forth through the chamber by the tiers of disks I4 Vand I5.

Another important feature resides in the means provided for alternately transversely wrinkling and de-wrinkling the fabric as it travels through the heated chamber 2. To thus alternately wrinkle and de-wrinkle the fabric, the groups of disks I4 of each tier are rotated at slightly lower peripheral speed than the relatively larger spacing disks I5. The peripheral speed of the larger disks I5 corresponds substantially to the speed of travel of the webor fabric delivered to the disks I4 of the first group A by the conveyer I2. Because of the peripheral speed of the disks I4 being lower than the delivery of the material thereto, a plurality of small transverse wrinkles or folds are formed in the fabric as it is delivered thereto, as best indicated in Figure 5. The wrinkled fabric is carried from one row of disks I4 to the next of each such group without exerting a pulling or pushing action on the fabric, whereby the fabric remains in a wrinkled condition as it travels over the disks of each group A, B, C, or D.

When the web of fabric engages the perpheries ci the relatively larger disks I5 from group A of the smaller disks I4, the wrinkles therein are removed as a result of the relatively higher peripheral speed of the disks I5, as shown in Figure 5. As the web is delivered from the peri` pheries of the disks I5 onto the next adjacent group B of disks I4, the web lis again transversely wrinkled. Such periodic wrinkling and de-wrinkling of the fabric `continues until the fabric is delivered onto the receiving conveyer 29, and at the same time both sides of the fabric are continuously being subjected to the hot steam ischarging from the pipes 30, as a result of the fabric being inverted each time it is delivered from one tier of disks onto the next.

The number of tiers of'disks and the length of the chamber 2 are such as to sufficiently treat` or process the fabric in its travel through the chamber, to permit the fabric to shrink to substantially its normal condition in which it was prier tobeing passed through the usual processing necessary before being delivered to the chamber -fior pre-shrinking.

, Another feature of the invention resides in the manner in which the disks of the various tiers are driven so as to cause the web of fabric to travel back-and-forth in the chamber in its passage from the delivery conveyer I2 to the discharge conveyer 29. To cause the fabric to travel back-and-forth through the chamber 2, the disks of adjacent tiers are driven in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Fgure 1.

To thus operate the disks, all of the shafts II cf each tier are shown driven from a shaft 3| mounted in suitable :bearings exteriorally of the casing of the apparatus and having bevel gears 32 therein meshing with the bevel gears 23 secured to the various shafts Il of each tier, as will b-e best understood by reference to Figure 3.

In like manner, the shafts 28 of the relatively larger disks I5 are driven by a shaft 33 provided at the opposite side of the apparatus through similar bevel gears 23 and 32. The disks I5 of each row of such disks are secured in xed relation to a tubular member I5, similar to the ones the disks Irl are secured to and the assemblies of disks l5 are secured to their respective shafts in a manner similar to the assemblies of disks I4, as shown in Figure 4'.

To thus reverse the direction of rotation of the disks of adjacent tiers, all of the disks I4 are simultaneously driven by a suitable chain B4 engaging sprockets 35 secured to the shafts 3I. @ne run of the chain 34 engages the sprockets 35 in the manner shown in Figure 2, whereby the disks of adjacent tiers will rotate in opposite directions, 'thereby causing the web to travel in a backand-forth direction through the chamber 2 as hereinbefore stated.

The shafts I'i are shown driven by a single chain 3ft having a running connection with a drive sprocket 35 secured to a drive shaft 37 mounted in suitable bearings, not shown. An idlersprocket 38 is provided adjacent the upper end of the chain 34 to prevent outer run of the chain engaging the sprockets 35.

rfhe shafts 33 which operate the relatively larger disks I5 are each provided at one end with a sprocket 39 having running connections with a chain 4I similar to the chain 34 provided at the opposite side of the apparatus.

The shafts 33 and bevel gear drives connecting them with their respective shafts 28 are best shown in Figure 3. The lower portion of the chain 4I as a running connection with a sprocket 42; secured to a shaft 43 which in turn is driven by a chain 44 from a variable speed unit, generally designated by the numeral 45. The variable speed unit 45 is driven from the drive shaft 31 by a shaft 46 through suitable bevel gear drives 41, as indicated in Figure 3. 'ljhe drive shaft 3l may be driven from a suitable motor 48.

The peripheral speed of the disks I5 is important with relation to the traveling speed of the conveyer belt I2, ybecause the disks I5 must remove or transfer the fabric from the groups of smaller disks I4 to adjacent groups at identically the same speed asthe fabric is delivered onto the first group Aof disks I4 from the conveyer I2. Should the `conveyer I2 deliver the fabric to the first group A faster than it is removed therefrom by the adjacent-rowcf disks I5, the fabric.willveventually pile up or accumulate on the disks It; On the other hand, should the disks I remove the fabric from the first group of disks Illfaster than it is deliveredthereto by the conveyer i2, the fabric would'be placed under az-tensionwhich would defeat one of the objects of thel present' invention. It is therefore essential thatthe speed of' the conveyer I2 and the peripheralrspeed of the disksl IEbe synchronized and sofrelated` tothe Vspeed of the disks I4 that the material, when delivered onto each group of disks lli, will be transversely wrinkled or folded as shown in Figure 5, and when the material engagesY the peripheries' of the relatively larger disksfI 5, such wrinkles or folds are removed from the web, as shown in Figure 5.

For practical purposes the conveyer I2 may be driven directly from the secondary drive shaft 4-31 of the relatively larger disks I5, whereby it will operate in timedrelation thereto.

To thus drive the conveyer I2 from the secondary drivefshaft i3- and4 upright shaft Q9 is shown having itslower end drivingly connected to the shaft by suitable bevel gears 5i, and the upperend ofthe shaft fail is connected to the shaft-52of theupper end ofthe conveyer l2 by similar' bevel gears 53;

All of the disks Iii in the various tiers operate at the same speed, and their speed is determined by the rate of speed at which the fabric may be conveyed through the chamber 2- to obtain the desired results. With a gir/ en fabric, the disks Iii may rotate at a constant speed, the disks in adjacent tiers rotating in opposite directions, as indicatedbythe arrows in Figure l, which is accomplished byl the chain drive shown at the left hand'side of Figure 2.

The variable rspeed unit 45 is important in that it makes-it possible to readily and conveniently control the degree of wrinkling or transverse folding of the fabric as it is delivered to each disk group A, B, C and D. In other words, the speed of the secondary drive shaft 3 may readily and conveniently be controlled to vary the size of the wrinkles or folds te that best suited for the particular fabric being pre-shrunk in its passage through the chamber 2. The variable speed unit d5 maybe of any well known construction applicable for the purpose.

In the operation ofthe novel apparatus herein disclosed, the fabric is delivered onto the first group A of disksv I4 by the conveyer I2, usually in a wet condition. As it is delivered thereto it is transversely wrinkled or folded, as best shown in Figure 5, in which condition it passes from one row of disks it onto the next' in group A, until it engages the peripheries of the adjacent row of relatively larger disks I5. The disks I5 pick up the material from group A and transfer or deliver it onto the'disks ofl group B at a relatively higher speed than the travel'. of the fabric over the disks i4, whereby the transverse wrinkles orf folds in the fabric are momentarily removed from the fabric. The fabric, however, is again wrinkled when it is delivered onto the disks of group B, and when passing from group B'to group C, it is again de-wrinkled. In this manner the fabric is continuouslyv alternately wrinkled and de-wrinkled as itpasses over each tierl of conveyer disksand at Vthe same time it is subjected to the steam discharging from the steam distributing pipes 30.

From the upper tier of disks the material is delivered onto thenext lower tier of disks wherebythe fabric is inverted,` aswill be understood.

byreference to Figure l. The opposite side of the fabric is then exposed to the steam discharging from theLdistributing pipes. 30 interposed betweenthedirsi; and secondtiers of conveyer'disks The fabric thus continues to travel back-andforth and' downwardly. through the chamber 2.

untilit is. delivered-onto. the discharge conveyer 29; which removes. it'V from the chamber 2 for delivery ontoa suitable receiving means, not shown.

From the foregoing it will-be noted that the disks and the novelfmannerinwhich they are driven provides aconveying means Within the chamber" 12 capable of conveying the fabric through the chamberfwithout imparting any pull* ing'or. pushing actionsthereon, and by. repeatedly wrinkling and de-wrinkling the fabric, and inverting it as it travels through the chamber 2, all of the'fibers of tlielvarious threads. constituting the body of the fabric are so "worked or flexed that theygradually return to their normal more or less crinkled condition whichcauses the fabric to shrinksufliciently in its passage through the chamber 2', that when it is subsequently made into garmentathe garments areY not. likely to shrink asa result of washing and'laundering.

By varying the relative speed of the disks I 4 and i5; the apparatus mayy be used for preshrinking fabricsoffvarious kinds, it being understood that' some fabrics have a tendency'to shrink more than others.

The' novel apparatus-herein disclosed may also be used" as a dryer for" drying fabrics received from a washer orsome other wet processing operations.

WhenVI so utilized all of the disks I4-and I5 of each-tier may be operated at the same peripheral speed'and at a speed substantiallyy equal to the delivery of the Afabr-ic to the upper tiers of disks from the conveyer I2. When the disks are operatedat the same peripheral speed the web of fabric is-fed through the chamber 2 in a-iiat condition, and`iscontinuously inverted as it passes from one tier'of disks onto the next in its travel downwardly through the chamber to the discharge' conveyer 29S.'

It is also to be understocdthatwhen used as a drier the supply of steam to the pipes Sil'is shut off whereby the chamber will contain amore or less-dryheat. To increase the eiiiciency of the apparatus-as a dryer, a plurality of suitable air nozzles Eli; 55' and 56 may be provided'at one end ofthe chamber 2i adapted to direct blasts of i heated air between adjacent tiers of disksfrom one end of the chamber. Similar nozzles 5?? and 58 may be provided at the opposite end-0f the chamber adapted to direct blasts of heated air between other tiers of disks. The heated air thus directedibetween the various tiers of disks may exhaust througha sui-table vent 5s connected with the interior ofthe chamber 2, as, for example, throughthe upper wall l. Heated air may be supplied tothe chamber through the nozzles 54 to 58, inclusive, by a suitable air circulating means orffan, not shownv in the drawings.

It willV be apparent to those skilled in the art that I'have'accomplished at least the principal objects of my invention, and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments hereinidescribed may be variously changed and modied without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of usesand has advantages not herein specically described; hence. it willbe appreciated 9 j that the herein disclosed embodiments are illusn trative'only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim as my invention: l. In an apparatus for shrinking textile fabrics, a steam chamber, a plurality of closely spaced rotatable disks in said chamber, all of said disks being disposed beneath the path of travel of the steam chamber, a plurality of shafts mounted in said chamber in spaced parallel relation, a plurality of disks secured to each shaft and arranged in closely spaced relation thereon, the marginal edges of the disks of each adjacent pair of shafts being disposed in overlapping relation, and the peripheries of all of said disks cooperating to convey the fabric through the chamber in a free and relaxed condition and without exerting a pushing or pulling action thereon.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber, a plurality of shafts mounted in said chamber in spaced parallel relation, a plurality of disks secured to each shaft and arranged in closely spaced relation thereon and whereby said disks are disposed in rows transverselyof the chamber, the marginal edges of the disks of each adjacent pair of shafts being disposed in stag gered and overlapping relation, the peripheries of all of said disks cooperating to convey the fabric through the chamber in a free and relaxed condition and without exerting a pushing or pulling action thereon, and spaced rows of said disks operating at a relatively higher speed than the intervening rows of disks, whereby all of said rows of disks will cooperate to continually alternately transversely wrinkle and dewrinkle the fabric as it passes through the chamber.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber, a plurality of shafts mounted in said chamber in spaced parallel relation, a plurality of disks secured to each shaft and arranged in closely spaced relation thereon, the marginal edges of the disks of each adjacent pair of shafts being disposed in staggered and overlapping relation, the peripheries of all of said disks cooperating to convey the fabric through the chamber in a free and relaxed condition and without exerting a pushing or pulling action thereon, spaced rows of said disks being relatively larger in diameter and having a relatively higher peripheral speed than the intervening rows of disks, whereby said disks will alternately condense and expand the fabric as it passes through the steam chamber.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber, a plurality of shafts mounted in said chamber in spaced parallel relation, a plurality of disks secured to each shaft and arranged in closely spaced relation thereon, the marginal edges of the disks of each adjacent pair of shafts being disposed in staggered and overlapping relation, the peripheries of all of said disks cooperating to convey the fabric through the chamber in a free and relaxed co-ndition and without exerting a pushing or pulling action thereon, spaced rows of said disks being relatively larger in diameter and having a relatively higher peripheral speed than the intervening rows of disks, whereby said disks will alternately condense and expand the fabric as it passes through the steam chamber, and means for reversing the traveling movement of the fabric through the chamber and simultaneously inverting it.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber, a plurality of vertically spaced tiers of shafts, the shafts of each tier being arranged in spaced parallel relation, a plurality of disks secured to each shaft of each tier and disposed in spaced relation on their respective shafts, the disks of said tiers of shafts having serrated edges cooperating to provide a plurality of vertically spaced conveying surfaces adapted to convey the fabric through the chamber without exerting a pushing or, pulling action thereon, and means for simultaneously driving alternate tiers of said shafts in one direction and the shafts of the remaining tiers in the opposite direction, whereby the fabric will have a back-and-forth travel through the chamber, and all of the disks constituting each conveying surface being disposed beneath the path of travel of the fabric being conveyed thereby, whereby the fabric is conveyed over each conveying surface with a wavylike motion and with the fabric completely relaxed throughout its travel.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber, a plurality of vertically spaced tiers of shafts, the shafts of each tier being arranged in spaced parallel relation, a plurality of disks secured to each shaft of each tier and disposed in spaced relation on their respective shafts, the disks of said tiers of shafts cooperating to provide a plurality of vertically spaced conveying surfaces adapted to convey the fabric through the chamber without exerting a pushing or pulling action thereon, and means for simultaneously driving alternate tiers of said shafts in one direction and the shaftsl of the remaining tiers in the opposite direction, whereby the fabric Will have a back-and-forth travel through the chamber, and certain rows of disks in each tier being relatively larger in diameter than the disks of adjacent rows in said tier and having a rela tively higher peripheral speed than the adjacent smaller-disks, whereby all of said disks will cooperate to continuously alternately condense and expand the fabric along its length as it passes through the chamber.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber, a plurality of vertically spaced tiers of shafts, the shafts of each tier being arranged in spaced parallel relation, a plurality of disks secured to each shaft of each tier and disposed in spaced relation on their respective shafts, the disks of said tiers of shafts cooperating to provide a plurality of vertically spaced conveying surfaces adapted to convey the fabric through the chamber without exerting a pushing or pulling action thereon, means for simultaneously driving alternate tiers of said shafts in one direction and the shafts of the remaining tiers in the opposite direction, whereby the fabric will have a back-and-forth travel through the chamber, certain rows of disks in each tier being relatively larger in diameter than the disks of adjacent rows in said tier, and means for varying the speed of said larger disks independently of the smaller disks whereby the peripheral speed of the larger disks may be so controlled relative to the peripheral speed of the smaller disks as to cause all of said disks to continually alternately 11 transversely wrinkle and dewrinkle the fabric as it passes through the machine.

9. In an apparatus for shrinking fabrics, steam chamber, a plurality of shafts mounted in groups therein, a single spacer shaft separating each adjacent pair 0f said groups of shafts, a plurality of like disks mounted on the shafts of each group and spaced apart lengthwise of their respective shafts, a plurality of relatively larger dsks secured to said spacer Shafts, means for driving all of the shafts at the saine time and in a direction to feed the fabric through the charnber, means for feeding the fabric into feeding contact with the peripheries of said smaller disks at a faster rate oi speed than the peripheral speed of said disks, whereby a plurality of relatively small transverse folds ,or wrinkles are momentarily formed in the fabric, and means whereby the peripheral speed of the larger disks may be made relatively greater than the peripheral speed of the smaller disks, whereby the fabric is partially elongated each time it passes over a row of said larger disks from one disk row to the next, and whereby said smaller and larger disks will cooperate to continuously alternately condense and expand the fabric as it travels through the machine.

10. In an apparatus for shrinking fabrics, a steam chamber, a plurality of shafts mounted in groups thereon, a single spacer shaft separating each adjacent pair of said groups of shafts, a plurality of like disks mounted on the shafts of each group and spaced apart lengthwise of their respective shafts, a plurality of relatively larger disks secured to said spacer shafts, means for driving all of the shafts of said group at a given speed and in a direction to feed the fabric through the chamber, means for driving the spacer shafts at a relatively higher speed than the remaining shafts, means for feeding the fabric into feeding contact with the peripheries of said smaller disks at a faster rate of speed than the peripheral speed of said disks, whereby the fabric is condensed or transversely wrinkled, and said large disks operating to convey the fabric from the disks of one shaft group to the disks of an adjacent shaft group at a relatively higher feeding speed whereby the fabric is extended or dewrinkled as it is fed from one disk group to the next, said larger disks and groups of disks cooperating to continually alternately transversely Wrinkle and dewrinkle the fabric as it travels through the chamber.

FRANKLIN CHATFIELD. 

